This summer, Kelley Drye's Washington, DC office will participate in Equal Justice America's (EJA) Washington, DC for Equal Justice campaign. Established in 1993, EJA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides law students with opportunities to work with organizations that deliver civil legal services to those in need. Under the program, students must secure a full-time (minimum 35-40 hours per week) job placement, working at least 10 weeks for a legal services organization, in order to receive a $4,000 stipend.

Kelley Drye's fellow for the summer of 2008 will be Nicole Poland, a student at the George Washington University Law School. Ms. Poland will serve as a summer law clerk with University Legal Services, Inc., a private, non-profit organization that serves as Washington, DC's federally mandated protection and advocacy system for the human, legal, and service rights of individuals with disabilities. The firm's sponsorship will cover the cost of the stipend Ms. Poland receives during her fellowship.

Ms. Poland will also be invited to participate in activities related to the firm's summer associate program, including training, professional development, and social activities. The firm's participation in the program will culminate with a reception at the end of the summer, during which additional members of the Washington, DC legal community will be encouraged to participate in the program.

EJA has sponsored fellowships for nearly 2,000 law students to work with over 200 legal services organizations, distributing nearly $6 million in grants and providing approximately 600,000 hours of free legal services. Many EJA Fellowship recipients have graduated from law school to serve their communities in legal aid careers, working with organizations such as Women Empowered Against Violence, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, and the National Law Center on Homelessness And Poverty. To learn more about the program, click here.